Science Cafe: the future of Global Humanitarian challenges

On Monday 30 October UG/Campus Fryslân organises a Science cafe on Humanitarianism. You are more than welcome to join!

These days, human suffering has become a standard item in pretty much every news bulletin we see. As detailed on the Agenda for Humanity website, ‘we are witnessing the highest level of human suffering since the Second World War’. Since the end of the Cold War, humanitarianism has become a global phenomenon involving a variety of stakeholders. At the same time, humanitarians and governments are operating on the basis of global norms that underpin foreign aid and international cooperation, such as the principles of Sovereignty, Good Humanitarian Donorship and the Humanitarian Principles. These global norms compete with issues surrounding local applicability, local necessity as well as the realities on the ground. This raises the question of how to proceed with a global humanitarian action in a period when local challenges require tailor-made local solutions. Are global norms in need of an update or a complete overhaul?

During this event, Prof. Joost Herman, professor of Globalisation Studies and Humanitarian Action, will focus on the results of the World Humanitarian Summit and the need to localise Global Humanitarian action to the needs and conditions on the ground. Prof. Andrej Zwitter, Dean University College Fryslân and professor of International Relations, focuses on the role that the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and modern technology have to play in this regard.